The US has imposed financial and diplomatic sanctions on individuals and entities in Myanmar and Cambodia for their involvement in a multi-billion dollar online scam industry, which US Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said "threatens the lives and financial security of Americans and fuels a horrific human trafficking crisis."
In Cambodia, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned Dong Lecheng, Xu Aimin, Chen Al Len, and Su Liangsheng, along with six associated companies, for their roles in transforming hotels, office buildings, and casinos into scam compounds.
Among the 9 individuals and entities sanctioned in Myanmar are Tin Win, Saw Min Min Oo, and the Chit Linn Myaing company. They are accused of representing the Karen National Army (KNA), an armed group allegedly protecting large-scale scam operations, along with She Zhijiang, the alleged mastermind behind the Yatai New City complex.
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A scam center in Shwe Kokko, Myanmar. Photo: AFP |
A scam center in Shwe Kokko, Myanmar. Photo: AFP
Numerous affiliated companies were also sanctioned. Under the Magnitsky Act, sanctioned individuals are barred from entering the US and engaging in US banking transactions. All of their US-based assets will be frozen.
Myanmar and Cambodia have become hubs for online scam centers. These operations, primarily run by Chinese organized crime, rake in billions of USD annually.
The US estimates that around 150,000 victims are confined and forced to work in these scam centers in Cambodia. Thailand estimates that around 100,000 people are forced to work in similar facilities in Myanmar.
Under Secretary Nelson noted that Americans lost over $10 billion in 2024 to online scams originating from Southeast Asia, a 66% increase from the previous year.
In May, the US sanctioned the KNA as a transnational criminal organization, along with its leader, Saw Chit Thu, and his sons. Washington accuses the KNA of facilitating scams, smuggling, and human trafficking in the area it controls around Shwe Kokko.
Duc Trung (Al Jazeera, AA)
